The Abilene reflector. [volume] (Abilene, Kan.) 1883-1888, 1887-10-20
FOOL JIM.
That he Was Called, Although He
Was Wondrous Wise.

Was Wondrous Wise.
II we trust general opinion, it was a
series Of fOllies, beginning in bovhood and
continuing during life. James Foljambe-
"Fool Jirl'' as the boys nicknamed him at
school-and the epithet chung to him-did,
in popular Judgment, the most silly things,
and yet prospered. At school he was noted
for his folly, as well as for pluck and cool
ness. If big boy maltreated a little one,
instead of minding his own business, as a
sensible boy should, Fool jim would ta6e it
up and thrash the bully.
When that wretched little Dick Greene,
the son of old Corney Greene a sort of odd
Job man about town, broke his leg by fall
from cherry tree, Fool Jim used to go
around and cheer up the little brat, and
spend his pocket money, OF which he had
plenty, for Dicks benefit. All the leading
big boys of the school thought him fool,
but no one dared to tell him so, for, though
he was not quarrelsome, he was quick to
resent an insult and was a tough customer
in a rough-and-tumble fight.
Fojambe left school for an academy
where they prepared boys for college, and
went afterward to college. 1 left at the
SINE time to become under-salesman and
general drudge in the grocery shop OF Figgs
d 0alchieze. lost sight of him then, ex-
~cept at vacations, until he was graduated
and had come home. His father, con-
frmed invalid, was very rich, and made a
great fuss over him when he returned, and
was very proud or the fact that Jim was at
the head of his class. There was no nom
sense about Jim, l must say. He remem-
oil 4 a
airs. He would come into our shop at all
times and talk with me when 1 was not
busy, and, as he would be very rich in time,
old Eggs, though he did keep his peoples
noses close to the grindstone, never grum-
bled at it.
Not that Jim was an idler. he took a
vast deal off his sickly fathers hands in
managing the large plantation. No little
Job that was, either. Foljambe place en-
braced over nineteen hundred acres, and
with the exception of a hundred acres OF
woodland, and about three hundred of
pasture and meadow, was closely Guilt
waited. There was a fine herd OF Jersey
cattle, then coming into vogue, and over
forty blooded horses, besides others for
pillow aud wagon.
For four years there was nothing worthy
of note, eXcep: that got TO he head sales
man and a sort of general manager in our
concern, which, considering my age, was a
big lift for me. But old Foljambe died ut
this time and as James WAS motherless,
and an only son, he succeeded to the
property Then began tho follies of this
son, which made talk for the country
around for years.
The first exhibition was in the matter of
the Peabody mortgage. There had been
two Peabody brothers, Nathan and David /;
but David, the younger one, on his fathers
death had taken one thousand dollars in
cash for his share, and gone off to Mexico
to seek his fortune. He was not heard OF
afterward, and was believed to be dead.
Nathan stayed on the old place. He was a
ehiftless man, and though he married Ben
Merits daughter, who was a tidy house
wife and prudent woman, he could not
get along. The farm was pretty well worn
out and he did not improve it at all.
The crops grew less aud less, and Nathan
grew a crop of debt. To wipe that out, he
borrowed another thousand dollars on bond
and mortgage from the same party who
held the first mortgage given to raise
David's money. Things grew worse and
worse, and at last the interest remained
unpaid for two years, and proceedings were
taken TO foreclose the mortgage. Nathan
took sick over it and died. The doctor said
it was typhoid fever, but every one thought
it was the trouble, and that Nathan had
given up the ghost because lie could not
face his difficulties. At all events he died,
leaving his widow with one child, girl Of
fourteen. She was very pretty-the image
of her father-and all the Peabodys were
fine looking people; but she had her moth
er's ways.
Everybody pitied the widow, for it was
well understood that the farm would bring
no more than the debt and law expenses, in
fact, that the mortgage would be obliged
10 buy it in. With the exception of one
SPOT, the farm was q WORKOUT sandy loan,
-over-run with sedge- grass, the sign Of ster-
ility. The exception was a hill, covering
about forty-two acres, apparently composed
of tough, gravelly clay, unit for even
brick-making and incapable of cultivation.
To be sure, the five acres around the house,
which was at oneend Of the place, had been
used as vegetable garden, and that was
An little better order. II was sorry piece
of property. SO when sale day came, and
happened TO be over at the county town,
dropped into the courthouse where the
sheriff was to sell. l found only a half
dozen persons, and one of these was Fol-
jamie, and another was Phipps who held
the mortgage.
The sheriff, stating that every one knew
the place, which had been with the Pea
bodys for over hundred years, asked for
a bid. The amount against the property.
including the legal costs, was twenty-three
hundred and eighty-four dollars. Phipps
putthat in as a bid, but remarked he didn't
want it at any price, AID any one advancing
on that might have it.
THAT leaves nothing for the widow" OBJ
served Follambe.
Suppose you bid more, then, on her &C.
count" said Phipps.
Il SHALL" replied Foljambe; ''thirty- five
hundred dollars"
SIS that your bid, Mr.. Foliambe!' in
quired the sheriff.